Refrigerator construction



y ocr. 11 1927. 1,644,986

L. G. COPEMAN REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 25, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 1 P i a- C oct. 11, 1927.`

L. G. COPEMAN REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed March 25. 1925 4 sheets-sheet 2 INI/ENTOR.l zw/0 24e/7,4# 5

@a ATTORNEY.

oct. 11, 1927. 1,644,986

L. I G. COPEMAN REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION original Filed March 25. 1925 4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR.

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\ composite shell partly of Wood and Patentedy Oct. 11, 1927.

UNITED As'rA'rlazs IPATENT oFFlcE.

LLOYD G. COPEMAN, 0F FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO COPEMAN LABORATORIES COMPANY, 0F FLINT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION.

.Application led March 25, 1925, Serial No. 18,132. Renewed July 14, 1927.

This invention relates to refrigerator construction, and has for itsfobject a construction in which the shell of the refrigerator is a solid cast stone work of a composite material, part of which possesses heat-insulating qualities.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate the expensive and tedious carpentry work which is necessary in the construction of refrigerators in which a part of the same is cabinet work.` It has been proposed before to form a refrigerator of a partly of stone, but the time necessary in building up the wooden part of the refrigerator is unnecessarily long and is more expensive than the construction embodied in this invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical section through a set of moulds for casting the inner heat-insulating refrigerator core.

Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view showing the heat-insulating core in the mould.l

Fig. 3 shows a section through a second set of moulds in which the heat-insulating p core is floated.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the moulded refrigerator heat-insulating core:

Fig. 5'is a perspective view of the completed refrigerator shell with a portion of the outer layer of stone broken away.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the refrigerator taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5..

The initial step in this construction is the moulding or vcasting of a refrigerator core which is shaped to conform with the general design of the finished product. To mould this shell I assemble the outer moulds a to 'the bottom mould Z), and clamp the same in place by means `of the long tie bolts c. The cores l are carried in anysuitable manner and are spaced from` the remaining portion of the mould, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. The mould is now ready to receive the material, which, when poured in the mould, as shown in Fig. 2, will form a refrigerator core e when allowed to set. The Wood strips f are cast into the back of this inner core shell for a purpose that will later be evident.

This material or mix is preferably formed by combining of magnesium oxide by weight, 30% of cork dust by weight, and 10% of glue dissolved in Water by weight. The above mixture is made ready for pouring by adding suticient water so that the same may be readily poured into the mould. Such a material when hardened possesses relatively high heat-insulating properties, but is relatively light due to the large percentage of cork which is incorporated in the mixture. This cork also serves to make the shell heat-insulating and the magnesium oxide gives the necessary strength to the stone casting. Obviously, there are many other combinations of elements which When combined in proper proportions will give measurably good results and possess practically as good heat-insulating properties as the mix I now use. When the core is removed from the shell it will be seen by observing Fig. 4- thatthis shell practlcally Vcorresponds to the shape of the finished refrigerator, and is provided with the food chambers or compartments g and the connecting passageways h. Themould a and the cores d are provided with ribs i so that when the core is removed from the moulds the grooves j are impressed in the walls of the core.

Referring to Fig. 3, this core possessing high heat-insulating properties, is now floated in the final set of moulds Which'comprise the outer mould 7c provided with the inner cores m. A cross brace or supporting beam n may be screwed or otherwise secured to the wooden strips f cast into the refrigerator insulating core and the beam correctly spaces the insulating core from the mould walls, thereby leaving a space o which is approximately one-eighth of an inch in depth. When this refrigerator insulating core is properly located in the finishing l moulds an AOxy-chloride cement is poured 1n from the moulds and my finished product is completed. Figs. 5 and 6 show this finished product and the outer exterior surface of the refrigerator is smooth and provides a white exterior coating for the refrigerator.

Such a refrigerator construction is in reality a 'composite shellstructure in which the major portion is composed of a heatinsulating material provided with a coveringY of Oxy-chloride cement which is not a good heat-insulator, the said Oxy-chloride cement covering being united with said insulating core forming a solid shell structure which is strong and yet light in Weight, possesses the .necessary heat-insulating properties and is not easily fractured.

What I claim is:

1. In a refrigerator construction, the combination of an inner moulded shell of heatinsulating material and serving as a core, and an outer cast shell secured to and contacting with said core both 4on vthe inside and outside thereof.

2. In a refrigerator construction, the combination of an inner moulded shell of heatinsulating material and serving as a core, and an outer moulded shell cast united to said inner shell both on the inside and outside thereof.

said inner shell provided with one or more food chambers, and a second shell moulded and cast-united to said inner shell and contacting therewith both on the exterior sur-` face and on the inner surface of the one or l more food chambers.

insulating material serving as a core, said material comprising a mixture `of of magnesium oxide by Weight, 30% of' cork dust by Weight, .and 10% of glue dissolved in water byweight, and an outer shell of Oxy-chloride cement cast` united with the inner insulating core both on the inside and outside thereof.

7. In a-refrigerator construction, the combination of an inner moulded shell of heatinsulating material and serving as a core,-

and an outer layer of non-insulating material cast-unitedl to the surface of said heatinsulating core.

10. In a refrigerator construction, the combination of a composite moulded refrigerator shell, a portion of which is aI solid moulded material possessing relatively high heat-insulating roperties.. l

11. In a re igerator construction, the combination of a composite moulded refrigerator shell composed of two shells cast united together one of said cast shells possessing relatively high heat insulating properties. v

12. A method of refrigerator construction, which comprises the casting of an inner shell of heat-'insulating material Which serves as a core, the insertingof said cast inner insulating core in a mould in spaced relation with the walls thereof, and the casting of a relatively thin shell of stone about thev said core and contacting therewith.

13. A method of refrigerator construction, which comprises the casting of an inner shellvof heat-insulating material provided with food chambers and serving as a refrigerator core, the inserting of said refrigerator core in a mould provided with cores which are positioned in said food chambers, the said insulating core floated in said moulds for the ypurpose of spacing said core from the outer mould and cores carried thereby and the casting of a relatively thin layer of stone over said insulating refrigerator core.

. 14. A method of refrigerator construction, which comprises the casting of a refrigerator shell of heat-insulating material and the casting of a covering about the sai heat-insulating shell and contacting with both the outside and inside surfaces thereof, said covering composed of a substance which is non-insulating and ossessing relatively great strength andv eness of texture.

In testimony whereof I have axed my n signature.

LLOYD G. ooPEMAN. y 

